Hop separator



E. THYS HOP SEPARATOR Dec. 6, 1938.

Filed June 17, 1936 Patented Dec. 6, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HOP SEPARATOR Edouard Thys, San Francisco, Calif.

Application June 17, 1936, Serial No. 85,718

1 Claim. (01. 209-99) This invention relates to a separating machine. Fig. 4 is an enlarged diagrammatic view showand especially to a machine for separating hops ing the arrangement of the separating wires. from leaves, petals, stems, and other foreign Referring to the drawing in detail, and particumatter, larly Figs. 1, 2 and 4, A-indicates in general a 5 The picking of hops by machinery is now a main frame which may be supported in any suitcomparatively old art as machine picking has able manner, but preferably on a pivot so as to 5 been in continuous use on a comparatively large permit adjustment of the inclination. The frame scale in California and other States for many is rectangular in shape and consists of an upper years. The type of machine generally employed and lower channel-shaped members 2 and 3,

consists of a series of revolving drums and/or belt which extend crosswise of the frame. These 10 from the surface of which project V-shaped fiex- C anne membe s re Se u d by W di 1' other ible wire fingers. The vines to be picked are means, between a pair of side plates 4 and 5, see passed over and under the drums and belts by a Fig. 2, extending from end to end of the frame. conveyor and as they pass through they are The frame also includes a pair of upper and lower in combed by the V-shaped fingers and the hops are channel-shaped members 6 and I which are seremoved during the combing operation. A great cured to the channels 2 and 3 and to a pair of many leaves and stems are also removed and some reinforced angle bars 8 and 9 d sp s d e On of the hops are broken, thereby forming petals, each side of the frame exterior of the side plates hence after the picking operation has been com- 4 and 5.

2Q pleted it becomes necessary to separate the hops The frame, as a whole, constitutes a support for from the leaves, petals, stems, etc., as the cleaner a plurality of wires generally indicated at B. thehops the higher the market value. These wires extend from the upper to the lower In actual practice one type of machine is emend of the frame and pass through perforations ployed for separating the leaves and petals from formed in the channels 2 and 3, being secured the hops; another type is employed for separating by head members H and being secured at the 25 stems from hops; again, machines are employed opposite ends to adjustable eye bolts H which which attempt to separate in one operation both are, in turn, secured in the channels 6 and l; the

the leaves, the petals, and the stems from the adjustable eye bolts being provided to properly hops. The present invention relates to the stem stretch or tighten the individual wires.

separating type. The wires are arranged as diagrammatically 39 The object of the present invention is generally shown in Fig. 4 to produce an undulating surface to improve and simplify the construction and crosswise of the frame, or in other words, a series operation of separators; to provide a separator of parallel troughs I3 which extend longitudinally which is particularly intended for separating from the upper to the lower end of the frame.

hops from stems, and other foreign matter, and The wires are suficiently closely spaced to pre- 5 more specifically stated, to provide an inclined vent hops from passing between them but are at frame having wires strung from end to end the same time sufiiciently widely spaced to permit thereof, said wires being fairly closely spaced and stems, etc., to fall through into a housing M from arranged at different levels to form an undulating the lower end of which they may be discharged 49 surface transverse of the frame and troughs lonthrough an opening I5. 40

:gitudinally thereof. The hops, stems, etc., are In actual practice the hops, stems, etc., to be deposited at the upper end of the frame and due separated are delivered to the upper end of the to the inclination thereof and the wires carried frame bya hopper or chute Hi. The entire matethereby, the hops will slide and roll downwardly rial falls directly on the wires and duev to their and discharge from the lower endwhile the stems, inclination all of the material will start to slide 5 etc., will pass between the wires and fall through, downwardly toward the lower end of the frame, thereby being separated from the hops. the hops being comparatively round will roll and The separator is shown by way of illustration slide and will finally bounce over a rounded barrier in the accompanying drawing, in which-- plate, such as shown at H, to be finally discharged to Fig. l is a central. vertical section of the over a plate iii. If any leaves mixed with the so separator; hops happen to fall edgewise they will immedi- Fig. 2 is a cross section taken on line 11-11 of ately pass between the wires and drop into the Fig. 1; 7 housing I, the same being true of the stems and Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on line lIL-III petals.

oi. F18. 1; The machine is particularly intended to remove straight stems. If the stems happen to fall parallel to the wires they will pass through. n the other hand, they may fall crosswise of the wires. or at an angle thereto, and will slide downwardly thereon. If that happens, the stems will be engaged by the fingers l9 and will be swung around and will be further straightened out by rolling down into the troughs. This action tends to position the stems parallel to the wires and they will thus fall through. The wires, or fingers is, are secured to angle bars 20 extending crosswise of the frame, the fingers being staggered so that all of the leaves and stems which tend to slide downwardly will be engaged by the fingers at one point or another before the lower end is reached. A few leaves and stems will reach the barrier H but they will lodge at this point and may be removed from time to time by an operator stationed at this point.

As previously stated, the wires are normally spaced so that the hops will not fall through but seasons are encountered when the hops are smaller than usual and in that case it is advisable to bring the wires a little closer together, this being particularly true of the upper and lowermost wires indicated at 23, 24 and 25. To bring these wires closer to the remaining wires cross bars 26 and 21 are adjustably secured by means of screws 28 to the channels 2 and 3. The bar 21 engages the lowermost wires 25 and forces them upwardly against the wires while the bars 26 engage the upper wires 23. The wires 24 are slightly below the wires 23 and blocks 29 are therefore welded, or otherwise secured, to the bars 26 so as to engage the wires 24 to force them downwardly. By this means the wires may be closer spaced or separated as conditions demand and most of the smaller sizes of hops will be caught.

A machine of this character is of large capacity. It is exceedingly simple in construction and operation. No moving parts are required and practically any labor, whether skilled or otherwise, may be employed in its operation. Furthermore, the separation obtained. is comparatively clean and, as it separates the hops from the stems, and leaves if present, all the work of separation is completed in this machine.

While this and other features of the invention are more or less specifically described, I wish it understood that various changes may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claim. Similarly, that the materials and finish of the several parts employed may be such as the manufacturer may decide, or varying conditions or uses may demand.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

In a separator of the character described a rectangular-shaped elongated frame, a crossbar secured at each end of the frame, spaced wires extending longitudinally of the frame and passing through the cross-bars, means for permanently securing the wires to .one cross-bar, tensioning means connected with the opposite ends of the wires and cooperating with the other cross-bar to maintain the wires taut, said wires being disposed in at least three different elevations and in trough-shaped formation crosswise of the frame to form a series of substantially V- shaped parallel troughs, each side wall of which is composed of at least three wires, and adjustable cross-bars in the frame engageable with the uppermost and lowermost wires to adjust the spacing between said wires and intermediate wires.

EDOUARD THYS. 

